i have a preposition for you
by ellixian
Summary: He loves Melinda May, he knows that down to his bones, but he'll need to have a word with her about her reckless misuse of prepositions when they're engaged in earnest conversation. (Spoilers for 4x21 The Return - inspired by the sneak peek!)


"Phil, get it together!" she growls, the epinephrine glowing unnaturally in her eyes.

She's Hulked out to save the world, because that's the kind of thing Melinda May does.

And he – well, he's just trying not to trip over his own feet as he follows the path she's slicing out for them with her fists.

But it's hard to concentrate when his brain has swopped places with his heart and he's stopped functioning as a human being.

"Did – I," he mutters to himself, as he sidesteps an unconscious body, "make – a – move", he punches one henchman as she tackles another three, "on – you."

 _Make a move_ _on_ [idiom]: to flirt, seduce, hit on; to make one's attraction known

He wants to laugh and cry at the same time.

Who the hell doesn't know what that means?!

The goddamn love of his life, that's who.

 _Did I make a move on you?_ she had asked, a world of worry and sadness written across her face.

That would have been the ideal moment for him to say, super smoothly: _No, and I didn't make a move on you either_ – insert suave, charming, utterly convincing smile – _We made moves on each other._

Instead, he had freaked the proverbial fuck out. His heart and brain had cramped up at the thought of telling her - _I kissed your robot self. Because I wanted to kiss_ _you_ _. Because I. Because you. Because love. Because always._

He's done battle alongside the Avengers, for Cap's sake. Yet there he was, Phil Coulson, middle name Hot Mess.

It was only when she stepped closer to him that he saw the real, true fear in her eyes. He knew what she was thinking - in that other awful life, she had been, for too many years, Hydra. It meant she could be a killer - that there was a part of her that could easily have taken his life. Those soul-deep eyes that, just minutes ago, had locked onto his and trusted him enough to jump into an unfamiliar world - they had gone grey and dark, and she'd asked, a tremor in every word: "Phil – did I try to… kill you?"

 _Oh_. That's what she'd meant. _Did I make a move_ _against_ _you?_

 _Make a move_ _against_ [phrase]: to take action against; to stop, hinder, thwart

He loves Melinda May, he knows that down to his bones, but he'll need to have a word with her about her reckless misuse of prepositions when they're engaged in earnest conversation.

In the end, the confusion proved to be too much. His heart was thinking one thing, his brain shouting another, his gut clenching from stress...

And so he said, dumbly, like a world-class idiot, "Yup. That's what happened. You tried. It was messed up."

And, just like that, the moment was gone. She made some wisecrack about adding her attempt on his life to their ever-growing List of Shitty Things I Have Done To You. She refused to give him the vial of epinephrine, instead shooting herself full of pure energy because she knows she fights better than he does. And now, they're battling to stay alive in Aida's Diabolical Dungeon of Death, Despair and Dismemberment.

A minute ago, she had dashed ahead of him, rounding the corner to check for potential enemy ambushes. From the grunts and thumps drifting back down the corridor, it's clear that she's been busy.

She runs back to his side now, adrenaline pounding through her blood and her cheeks flushed from the thrill of the fight.

"Phil, stop acting weird," she says as she glares at him, fiercely, wearing her concern on her face and in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

 _Your choice of prepositions_ , his brain grumbles.

But, as he studies her, he can feel the solid lump of terror in his stomach - it showed up there the day he discovered she was gone - disappear at last.

She's really home. He's found her. They're together again.

And, in the midst of life and death, Melinda May is making her tired, broken body perform miracles, battling with every atom of her heart and soul to keep them safe.

God. He loves her so much.

"Nothing's wrong, " he says, and adds, to himself, _now that you're here_. "Go on, May - I'll follow your lead."


End file.
